This week’s prompt is Top Ten Books Read in 2011.

Why?: Friends, I don’t think The Aviary by Kathleen O’Dell is getting the attention it deserves. This book is a quiet, wonderful middle grade read that reminds me of Anne Of Green Gables but with birds and a decades old murder mystery. It’s very, very wonderful and I want MORE people to read it. Trust me, I would never give you a bullshit book recommendation. The Aviary is legit.

Why?: As an introduction to adult contemporary romance, Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise was solid. After finishing it, I created a list in my brain of potential people to push it on. I also still think of Love Me Tender occasionally and will absolutely re-read this one.

Why?: Sometimes in life we read books that take our souls and rip them into shreds, books that just shatter us. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness is a book that I listened to that totally slayed me. I felt such deep emotion for A Monster Calls that I know my best of 2011 list would be incomplete without it.

Why?: I have this thing for orphans. AND YOU GUYS SAM AND RIDDLE AND AN INNOCENT ROMANCE. And I just love contemporary that is well done that also makes me feel something without schmaltz. And that ending, WOW.

Why?: Yo, this hearkens back to authors like Robin McKinley and Tamora Pierce and it was like publishing said, April, what do you wish we would publishing and then they gave me The Girl Of Fire And Thorns which is high fantasy AND AWESOME AS ALL HELL. OMG. I could go on and on all day about HOW MUCH I LOVE THIS book.

Why?: So there were one hundred million dystopia books that came out in 2011 because it was the fetch genre. Divergent stood out for me because of my girl Triss who is the shiz. Seriously. if I am in a fight or need a good friend, I want Triss in my corner. AND FOUR. Ahhhh. Utterly impossible to put down and totally exceeded my expectations.

Why?: Yo, there are bells that fight the dead. BELLS. BELLS. Yes, bells. I shall forever be a fan of new forms of magic and I just love those damn bells a little too much. Plus the title character, Sabriel is da bomb. She rocks. AND MOGGET. Foreva.

Why?: A good angel book always deserves a shout out. Also people get so apeshit over Laini Taylor and I never knew why. But NOW I DO. Girl can turn a phrase like nobody’s business. Seriously, Taylor’s prose is delicious. She’s got this way with words that completely drew me in.

Why?: You know how some books are totally going to not pass the test of time, but others become classics? I think this book will be a classic. It is delightful and complex with themes and messages not just for children, but for adults too. Plus there are charming illustrations and Ell the Wyvern is my secret BFF, forever.

Why?: OMG THE ULTIMATE ORPHAN BOOK. Poor Peter Nimble gets his eyes pecked out by ravens, then has more crappy luck but then makes friends with Sir Tode who is a baller. And then there is magic and children fighting against an evil force. And apes. And beautiful writing. Pretty much I love this book so hard.

April is 30 years old and created Good Books And Good Wine. She works for a non-profit. April always has a book on hand. In her free time she can be found binge watching The Office with her husband and baby, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring her neighborhood.

I JUST added I’ll Be There to my wishlist a couple of weeks ago…I hadn’t heard of it until then!! I’m definitely going to move it up my list. Am also going to be getting Bet Me and A Monster Calls very, very soon. Wonder if I should do the audiobook for A Monster Calls…I have some audible credits to use. 🙂 Great list, April!

We share several of the same books on our lists which tells me that I would like those you included that I haven’t read yet. I am a huge fan of A Monster Calls and Daughter of Smoke and Bones. I also like, but didn’t include on my list: The Girl Who Cicumnavigated… and Divergent.

Great list of books! I need to read most of these still…but I did just put The Aviary on hold at my library after reading your review! I can’t believe I still haven’t gotten to Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Must read it soon!

The Girl of Fire and Thorns looks awesome. I’m sometimes iffy with high fantasy, but I want to overcome that and find a title that I really enjoy. From the reviews I’ve read, this one is probably a good start. I’m glad to see it on your list! Your review of I’ll Be There is the reason it’s on my to-read list.

Yay for Divergent! I loved that one so much for a lot of the same reasons you did. Also I’ve been hearing so many great things about Daughter Of Smoke And Bone lately. I’m really starting to think I need to bump it up in my TBR pile. Great picks! 🙂

Love this list! 2011 favorites that we share: A Monster Calls and Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Bet Me and Sabriel are old favorites. 🙂 So glad you loved these books too! I’m looking forward to reading I’ll Be There, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland and The Girl of Fire and Thorns.

Divergent and Daughter of Smoke & Bone have been on my TBR list FOREVER!! lol.. I swear I’ll get to it in 2012! I also have Peter Nimble but haven’t gotten to it yet either.. totally bumped it up higher now seeing it on your list 🙂

I’d like to eat this list for breakfast. With a side of grits, please, because I’m from the south. Seriously, the ones I haven’t read are on my TBR. And I’m reading one of them now, the Valente book.

Oh my gah, April, if you can handle A Monster Calls, you can handle Monsters of Men! You can do it!!!

I’m with you on Laini Taylor’s words. That gal can certainly spin her words and phrases and make me hold my breath. That book killed me and I’m DYING for the next one.

I remember reading about Bet Me on your blog first, but since then other people have mentioned it to me. So I suppose I need to just give it up and read it, but that cover weirds me out. And you know I do judge covers. It’s a hang-up of mine. I can’t help it. But at least I’m honest. Seriously, great list.

2011 was such a good year! I loved Smoke & Bone, Fire and Thorns, and A Monster Calls too and am glad to see them on your list. I have Fairyland on hold at the library and can’t wait to read it! (2011 was the year of the long title, wasn’t it?) The Aviary sounds awesome too- I will seek it out next year.
Hope 2012 brings many more great reads your way.

Love it! I had a teeny bit of a hard time choosing between Divergent and Legend for my list and I went with Legend because, well, I think about it more. But they were both awesome. And TGWCFiaSoHOM (seriously? I abbreviated because I thought typing it out would be INSANE) was magic. I loved it so, so much.
I need to check out The Aviary, too. I LOVE middle-grade and this one sounds perfect. Sabriel and The Girl of Fire and Thorns are both on my TBR and they are happening THIS YEAR, I SWEAR. I don’t know how much better it gets than a truly great fantasy, and these two sound fab. YAY!

I’m loving the sound of The Aviary and the two orphan books – though “his eyes are pecked out by ravens”, ouch!

I have to look into this Girl of Fire and Thorns because I hadn’t heard of it before and this isn’t the first list I’ve seen it on! I’ve got Divergent, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland… and Daughter of Smoke and Bone and I’m not surprised to see them popping up on lists, considering how much everyone’s been talking about them all year.

It makes me happy to see The Girl of Fire and Thorns on your list too. I loved Divergent too and Bet Me was such a fun read. I definitely want to read some more of Jennifer Crusie’s books.

I need to read more MG in 2012. I loved Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu (though I forgot to put it on my list!) and The Emerald Atlas. I have been wanting to read The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making (what a great title!) and I’m glad you liked it. What a fantastic list!

Trackbacks

[…] Good Books and Good Wine: Top Ten Books of 2011. April has a page called Project Fill in the Gaps with a list of books she wants to read, so I choose to recommend from that list: Katherine by Anya Seton and Hood by Stephen Lawhead because both of those books are great reads and they seem to fit in with what she enjoyed this past year. […]

Hello Reader Friends!

I’m April and am absolutely delighted you stopped by.

You know that person who always has a book in their purse and a glass of wine on hand? THAT’S ME.

In my free time I can be found binge watching The Office with my husband and baby, spending way too much time on Pinterest or exploring my neighborhood. I’m so excited to chat with you about all the books we’re reading and listening to.